Online Pageant Coaching!

Lessons Learned!

2012-01-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

What makes me unique as a pageant coach is the fact that I walk the walk. I have been a contestant, judges, director, and back to contestant again. I am constantly exploring and changing style and methods to help my clients be the best of themselves that they can be.

Recently I competed in a state competition and am now putting myself at the national level pageant in April. I truly believe that I have a lot to offer a title and understand it is not up to me but 5 people who don't know me for more then 8minutes. But I am willing to go out there because I know WHO I am and know HOW to be my best me!

What I have learned from this process is that elements can be stacked against you and you can do nothing about it. But as long as you KNOW WHO you are and that you put your personal best out there you can walk away disappointed in the outcome but hold your head high knowing your integrity was in tact and that you played a fair game!

Some lessons learned:

DIRECTOR: As a former Director I never coached one-on-one my contestants.

I was advised, early on, that directing a contestant is frowned upon and can cause problems afterward, great advise. It can lead to hard feelings and the contestants that are coached by the director usually make sure it comes out during competition time to make it like they have an

edge over other contestants. (THAT is where running your own game and not listening to others comes in handy!) I also learned, very early, to be a director it is NOT about the money, it is about the experience that you provide those that are paying you. It is their personal growth, developed friendships, and hopefully the crown that make your program a success. I have many director friends that make $5000 per year off their pageants and most of that goes right back into the pageant and pays their way to the national competition to support their titleholder. The directors that try to cut costs, cheapen their production by cutting corners, take away the experience, lose respect and therefore hurt their chances of maintaining a successful pageant. Those directors in it for the money tend to take on more pageants or age groups to add to their pocket and not necessarily care about the outcome, just the bottom line. NOT ALL DIRECTOR'S of multiple states are that way, but I know a few and you can tell by the production/experience they provide that you are just a body and money. Director's should focus on the participants and their experience, they are a customer and will take their money elsewhere if not. For me, as a director, it was always about ministry to others, not about the money. I wanted it to pay for itself and most of the time put in my own money. I didn't really care about the number of ladies IN the pageant, I only focused on the experience no matter the number! God brought me who needed to be in the pageant each year.

JUDGE: As a judge I understand that you are working for the director that has asked yo

u to judge! You are not working for the contestants. You are told WHAT they are looking for and that is how you are to judge. But I have also learned that you can be lead to a certain contestant. It is HOW it is said that can clearly tell you what to look for. You can be told comments like "This pageant system likes their contestants to be like a Miss USA

contestant" that tells me as a judge tall, young, and good body. The image has been placed in your judges head. SO, what I have learned as a judge is that before I go to the pageant I study

what the NATIONAL competition is looking for. I study their past winners and top 10. I take into consideration what I am told and if I am directed specifically, I judge with integrity and the way I feel best suits the program. I will not let a director tell me who to pick. One year I had a queen judge for a competition and she told me that after interview and before finals the director came in and said, very firmly, that the nationals did not want an overweight woman. Every judge knew who she was talking about because this lady was by far the best and most beautiful. The judges were offended by the director and in the end the so-called overweight woman won! Those judges had integrity enough to stand against being told who to pick. The lessons learned here was that directors can control the outcome if they have judges that are close to them or have not the experience of pageantry. Director's really need not be involved with the judges, my opinion, or near the scores. It just opens up yourself to questions of integrity.

CONTESTANT: Lessons learned here are that you cannot be an image of what you think is the titleholder (it is too fluid and changes) and you cannot be someone else (like last year's winner). The KEY is to be the best of YOU that you can. The KEY is be there mentally. The KEY is hard work. It is fun to say you are in a pageant but if you are not prepared mentally and are not doing the work don't be disappointed when you don't win! I am sad when I see som

eone who really thinks they can win a pageant with a swimsuit competition and are not in shape physically. The answer is, not this year. Some ladies think they can come in and win just because of their story but have done nothing for the other aspects of the competition. I started this journey this year at 154 lbs. I didn't sign up until I reached my goal of 130 and still lost 6 more pounds before competition. I understand that the physical portion was important to be competitive. If I didn't want to go to the gym, I would remember what my trainer would say, "If you don't go someone else is at the gym working harder. If you eat that one piece of candy, your competitor is not". That totally helped me mentally make better choices. So bottom line is you get what you put into it! I had to work really hard on the interview. I think I did over 20 mock interviews with friends to prepare. Some think it comes easy, well it was a lot of work and prep to get there. If it looked easy it was because I had worked hard to prepare! In the end, I was 1st runner up, my hard work and mental prep paid off in a big way! For me, next to not winning, 1st runner up was a great place to be! I have also learned that sometimes your not winning is out of your hands no matter how hard you work (see the statements above under Judges). That is why I learned that you must set goals, aside from winning, (Thank you Mrs Idaho 2011 for that advice!) and be proud to know that you accomplished those other goals and that you improved YOU, nothing can take that from you. Winning interview was my goal and it was tops for me to win interview because, although I was told it was easy for me, it wasn't, it was hard work to prepare and I was really nervous, it was really tough but today I know hard work pays off in the end!

So lesson learned are BE PREPARED as a Director, to provide the experience and work hard to develop a pageant based on integrity not money. As a Judge, do your homework and do what is right, sometimes that means going against the direction towards a certain contestants (especially if they do not "have it" based on your research). As a Contestants, work hard, be realistic with goals and be fully prepared, because if you are not doing the work your competitor is!

Happy Pageantry,

Libby

THE HAPPY NEW YEAR .... DRIVE OR DIVE?

2011-12-29T10:04:00.001-08:00

Does the thought of a new year drive and motivate you or do you want to just dive back into bed for a few more months? I can relate. The thought of leaving Christmas vacation and getting back into the steam of the daily "to do's" makes me want to dive back into bed for a while. But reality is, stuff has to get done and it will not do it by itself (wow, I sounded like my mother right there, when did that happen?).

Here are some ways to get back in gear and drive right into the new year.

SET SMALLER GOALS. Have you done this before, make all these resolutions of things you are going to do, change and create. Then by the 3rd week you feel defeated and feel

like a failure. Set one goal, on attainable goal. For example, don't say

you will get up each morning at 5 am and workout if you are not a morning person. I am definitely not a morning person but I have set a goal of working out 3 specific days a week that work for my schedule. I drop my son off at school at 8:10, instead of coffee with a friend or going home to facebook (lol) I head straight to the gym until 10:00am. I am then done for the day. I make it part of my schedule, like an appointment. BUT the key is to make it an unbreakable appointment, like a hard to get into hairstylist or doctor.COMMITMENT. It is important that you commit to your goals, otherwise why have any? If you know that it will be rough for you to commit, set your goals within your reach. The commitment will turn into motivation and therefore create a confident spirit that you can achieve what you set your mind to! Then, eventually, you will reach that 1 hour in the gym (or DVD workout at home) and look forward to it. It is in the little events of achievement that begin to change our outlook about ourself. I chose working out as an example because that is what most people do for the new year but this applies to ANY change that you choose to make. Going back to school, start with one class, commit to it and then after it is over, if you didn't enjoy it, don't force yourself find something new to commit to! But the reward comes from setting the goal and the commitment!

REWARD YOURSELF. I absolutely believe in rewarding yourself. When you set your goal

write down what you will receive when you attain that goal and keep your eyes on the prize, as they say, in order to get you through the rough patches. Last November I had resigned as the Mrs Oregon Director (very HARD to do!) in order to finally put my fear of failure (I have competed in 8 pageants and have never won the crown) aside and compete in this pageant. I had never competed at Mrs America or Mrs Oregon and I was ready to give it a try. In April at the Mrs America Pageant when asked why I resigned I told my friends that I was competing and one of the directors flat out told me I needed to lose the weight first. Even through I knew that to hear someone tell me was the motivation I had never had before, he was so right! So, the day I got home I saw my doctor and started to change my life. I gave myself a deadline of Aug. 1, and a goal of losing 30 lbs (I was 154 at the time) and then, and only then, would commit to the pageant (my reward). Well, I am proud to say that August 1st came, I had reached my goal and signed up for the pageant. The reward of entering the pageant was what motivated me

through the months of the lifestyle changing I went through. Give yourself a reward that is motivating, really means something to you. Something that is such a strong desire that it will

keep you focused even during the rough times! And one more thing. Once you reach that goal, DON'T STOP, set another little attainable goal and reward and move forward from there! For me competing against all odds (being the former director, competing against younger wo

men) was a goal! My reward was a party of friends and family after the pageant REGARDLESS of the outcome. I made that plan long before the pageant, made up invites to be passed out to friends and put some focus on that as well, a nice distraction. I did very well winning Interview, tied for 1st in Evening Gown, and was 2nd in Swimsuit and guess what? I had a GREAT party after with friends and family and felt great! Make sure you are CLEAR on what reward you will have right after the pageant so that you are not left with the, ok...now what, feeling!

Pageants are tough because there are elements of pageantry that are out of our control. Contestants knowing judges, contestants related to staff, staff coaching contestants, the way a director or staff briefs their judges, just so many factors you will go nuts trying to guess or figure it all out! (Know this, KARMA will bite.) Some of these elements you will find out while

you are there at the pageant but do NOT choose to focus on them, instead just run your race, put your blinders on and focus on the goals and rewards that you have set for yourself. My very good friend gave me a toy horse as a reminder before I went down for the competition weekend, it reminded me that my race is just that...my race, keep my blinders on! And if, in the end, you get the bouquet of roses in your hand and the crown on your head it will be that added reward for all of your hard work and focus! If not, enjoy the reward YOU have established for yourself. Remember that pageants do not write your definition, only you and God can do that!

Happy Pageantry!! AND Happy New Year it is gonna be GREAT!!!

Libby

My MRS OREGON AMERICA Journey...

2011-10-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

My Mrs Oregon America journey has come to an end. What did I learn along the way? First and foremost is to NOT compromise who you are! I did not change my hair, my wardrobe or my interview skills based on what others told me, I would have been a crazy person, rather I did what I tell my clients to do...I filtered ALL I learned from others and took what I needed and discarded the rest! For my efforts and focus I was able to achieve 1st runner up in a field of beautiful young women (most all but one were 30 or younger) and was able to impress a panel of judges whom themselves (all but one) aired on the younger generation. I am NOT in anyway putting the panel or contestants down, merely pointing out that I was able to rise above even when it seemed the cards were stacked against an older contestant. It speaks volumes that being yourself and not an image of what you think they might be looking for is what wins pageants, or gets a placement in the top 3.

For me the experience was a test of my coaching skills. Was I directing my clients in the best possible way? Do the mock interviews really help or do they over coach? How important is the physical aspect of the competition or can it slide a bit if you have a dynamic interview? What I found to be true is that all what you do can change depending on how the direction is given to the judges. You can be the best physically, have dynamic interview skills, and have great onstage presence but when that last vote or decision from the judges has to be made, the voice of the direction they were given will weigh in for that final vote and it may or may not go your way. BUT mock interviews DO matter and help, practice walking everyday DOES matter, AND having a body, and not counting on your interview skills, that is in the best possible shape for you DOES make a difference in your onstage performance and score!

This experience was different for me as I was the director for the program for 10 years. We did many group appearances and the ladies were able to bond before the competition. The letting go was easy but I really missed out on the bonding. Granted this is the first year under the new director and I needed to always keep that in perspective. That was my personal, boo-hoo, moment.

For me the first day of walking into the room with 30 somethings all cute, trendy and bubbly cut me down quickly! Yes, ME! I hit a brick wall so hard I think I got a fat lip!! I started to take that detour to self doubt, self loathing, and a defeated heart and we hadn't competed!!! A good friend gave me a gift, a reminder if you will, and it was of a horse with a light coming from his mouth, cute kid's toy. It was a reminder, that I tell my clients, keep your blinders on and keep that light straight ahead! Many times throughout the weekend I had to look away or tune out what others were doing or saying. It can really mess with you if you pay attention to their personal competition (because you know you are only competing against yourself, right?). Only then was I able to regained my confidence and remember that I can only be the best ME out there. So for the rest of the weekend I really focused on what I was supposed to be doing, not who steps where, who was supposed to go on what que, what color someone else's dress was or anything that didn't relate to my own personal responsibility!! And that worked for me! And it can work for you as well! Run that race and don't look behind, that takes away from your gain and you have to work twice as hard to regain that momentum you just had, don't give any of that momentum away!

My only regret is that I didn't learn this 15 years ago when I was competing! But know I have lived what I teach and know FOR SURE that it works! Nobody can do this for you. It takes hard work, mental determination and dedication to achieve your goals. Mrs Idaho 2011 told me to focus on another area of the competition as a goal, not just the crown, so you have something else if you don't win to be proud of. My focus was winning interview, and guess what? I DID!

My journey started April 1, 2011 at 154 lbs and a size 10, this journey took me to October 23, 2011 weighing in at 124 lbs, a size 2, making 1st runner up, and winning interview. Not bad for almost 48 years old. In my 30 years of competing in pageants I have yet to have had the crown placed on my head, but you know what, I have gained more by not winning then I think I would have gained if I had won without the struggle. My journey will not end, my day will come, I will not give up my dream, and the bonus is along the way the lessons and blessings will continue to pile up and I can handle that for sure!

Happy Pageantry!!

REALITY, it's time we had a chat!

2011-09-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

As I competed in pageants one thing I always did to myself was leave one stone unturned, the workout! Yes, I worked out to maintain a size 6 or 8 body but didn't pay attention to the details, the definition, or the body fat! I would always self sabotage by saying "well if I wear this it will cover that" or "they will like me in interview and forgive this or that"... well they would, and I would place but what I DIDN'T think about was that the other girl, the winner, who didn't leave it to chance, she didn't leave a stone unturned!!! This is for all of you that are really ready, and I mean in your heart and soul ready, to compete in your next pageant.

Whether you are competing for a Swimsuit or Athletic Wear competition, the body is the driving force to your success. With the body in the best shape you have ever imagined a garbage bag would look great on you.

Here is what you need to be successful:

YOU CAN'T DO THIS ALONE, and I repeat you can't do this alone. You NEED a partner, coach, trainer, spouse, friend...somebody to be with you to lift you out of the down days, be your accountability partner, and share the joys of success with you.

YOU HAVE TO EAT!! Funny as it may seem but meals every 2 hours tells your body to NOT store the fat that it will not starve and helps your metabolism move. You are what you eat is true as well. Feeding your body natural clean food will help you achieve your results fast. There is an app called myfitnesspal, great for going out, just put in the restaurant, what you might like to eat and make your choices based on the calories. I just did that at Red Robin and it helped me find something delicious and I stayed within my calories for the day.

CARDIO is your best friend! 2 hours a day if you can! If not, a great evening walk or first thing in the morning will complete your day. You will feel good, you will de-stress, enjoy nature, and best of all it is FREE!

WEIGHT TRAINING is good too, but 3 - 4 times a week is enough. Light weights and lots of reps. Listen to your body, it will tell you. This is where a good trainer, to start, will help you learn how to properly use the machines and set you up on a routine. There is a GREAT trainer, Jamo Nezzar, who is a Bodybuilding Champion and does over the Internet coaching, check him out on Facebook.

REST is also very key. If you are not getting enough sleep you are not doing right for you mind and body. With technology today, you can record your favorite shows and watch them while on the treadmill the next day! So go to bed early!

TRY ON YOUR WARDROBE at least once a week and take pictures of yourself. Pictures will point out a lot and give you a gage on what you need to work on...you will be harder on yourself so go to someone you trust that will give you honest feedback, you might just be surprise at what they have to say.

GO BY YOUR MEASUREMENTS NOT THE SCALE, truly I am not a fan of the scale because it really lies! Your true look is based on your inches. I wasn't losing a pound but the inches were coming off quickly, my clothes felt looser and I could see I was getting thinner. So keep track every 2 weeks of your inches lost, I liked those results much better.

Once you have achieved a body you have always wanted, nothing can stop you. You will leave no stone unturned and therefore, no matter the outcome, you will feel you gave it everything you had with no excuses and can be very proud of that accomplishment! Not to mention a habit of living a healthier lifestyle and who wouldn't want that, heck maybe a trip to Hawaii with that new beach body will be in order!

Happy Pageantry!

The right mind set!

2011-07-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

How is your mind set? Do you dream of winning a pageant or do you take action? It is easy to dream of "that moment" or "that day" but it will never come if your mind doesn't put itself in gear. You can have all the greatest "intentions" in the world but if your mind isn't in the game then the experience will be just that, an experience. Fun as it may be your dream still remains just that, a dream.

This year I have decided to take the "leap" and put myself back into the realm of pageantry as a contestant. But this year I have put my mind into the game as well. Less focus on the wardrobe and more focus on the outcome! What are my goals? What is the outcome I have for myself? Why am I doing this event/pageant? What do I need to do to achieve my personal goals? Once I wrote my desires and goals down I then wrote the steps needed to achieve them and have now put my mind into the game, this time NO EXCUSES! If I fail one day, I pick up and start anew the next. Sometimes I am very hard on myself when I failed that days goals but quickly found that to not be helpful at all. What helps is to put my faith first and my mind back into my goals. Step by step, slowly, I am achieving my goals! Focus and determination are the keys to my success so far. But the difference between now and other times is that my MIND is in the game. My mental focus on the outcome drives my determination to achieve my daily goals set for myself.

Your mind can play tricks. Your mind can take you out of the game putting your focus on items that might not be important at this time. For example, in the past I worried more about the clothing then the body. I thought that the clothing choices could cover up the body so I would be safe, plus working out is not one of my favorite things to do. Although I came in the Top 5 several times, even top 15 at a national competition, truth be told, the body was what always held me back. I had to be honest with myself and really look at the fact that if I wasn't ready to do the work on the body that I was not going to win the title I was seeking. My mind was allowing the excuses to not exercise, no time, too expensive to go to the gym, too much on my schedule, taking care of the kids took too much out of me, play tricks on me over and over in my head, a sort of self-sabatoge!

Today, my mind is in sync with my desire. I am determined, more then ever, to put forth the best Libby possible, working each day on my goal. Is your mind in sync with your desire? Can you honestly say that each day you are putting your "best" toward your goal today or can you do better tomorrow? We are not all perfect, perfection is for Heaven, we will and do make mistakes and have set backs. It is what we do next that is what truly matters. Don't let your mind wander, stay focused, stay determined, if you fall get back up!

Happy Pageantry,

Libby

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STEP IT UP!

2011-07-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

Do you want to win a pageant? I mean REALLY win a pageant? If you just "want to have fun" then that is okay too but if you really want to win and have a shot at a national competition then you really have to get serious. No excuses!!

I recently went to a national Miss, Teen, and Jr competition where they were told they were looking for teen. Fresh, natural, nice, and easy to work with for the year. We were told that the judges were instructed that they didn't want "toddler and tiara" type ladies, well guess what, that is exactly what was standing in the top placements in all divisions at this pageant. I guess they meant "teen looking" as in "Texas or Southern looking" which translates to a "Miss pageant look" for a teen and a "Teen pageant look" for a jr. I was amazed. I am not putting down these ladies at all just stating a fact that if you want to "really win" you need to step up your game for sure. Most all had coaches, trainers, stylists and more that they worked with regularly.

Here's some pageant fundamentals!

1. The body is the thing! Spray tan, flat abs, tone legs and arms, and tight bottom. No room for any fat here. You will loose major points as some pageants are cutting to the 10 based on your swimsuit body.

2. Modeling skills. You NEED a coach to help you walk. It is worth the investment. The confidence in the walk is the other part of having a great body that will give you that edge. Don't think you can do this on your own, you really need the help AND THE PRACTICE!

3. Hair and Make Up. Some pageants, especially at nationals, have the option to pay but then you get an image of yourself that you are not used to and it might throw your confidence so I suggest that you get several classes on pageant hair and make up. A good coach can help or direct you in the right direction. The MAC counter is a place to start but really isn't the pageant resource. Ask a coach.

4. Gown. This is where I have said that a pageant gown can be under $500 and work. Well, you can buy a cheaper dress but the stones are going to cost you over $500 to make it work. So invest in a dress that you can wear multiple times. There are some great sites out there that resale pageant wear (mindless plug for mine www.gowncloset.com) and have some new listings as well, sometimes you can barter a bit. But the gown does matter. Updated and sparkle. Keep with the trends and pay attention to recommendations from a coach, they are helpful in this matter. But remember YOU have to wear the gown and it has to be the one that makes you feel over the moon!

5. Interview. So we were told no suits, I agree, those are not really appropriate anymore in all divisions. But you must have a fitted, amazing dress or skirt with top. The suits for interview are second to the body. This is usually where you will get your points for the top 15 or 10. This is the most important aspect of a pageant and will set the tone for your relationship between you and the judges. Practice your bio, practice questions, really do the homework on current events and be prepared for the fluff question "what do you miss most about not being home?"

Over all you must step up your game! This is no longer about being sweet and nice (although you should be) it is about being prepared to compete at the next level in advance. We made the mistake of trying to mold ourselves into an image instead of enhancing our own image. You don't want that to happen to you when you go to a nationals because you will have their people telling you what you "need" to do during pageant week, if you haven't already come prepared you will start to do what they say and it may not be who you are...make sense? What I am trying to say is do the work and be prepared so when you get to your competition and they start telling you what you SHOULD do there is no question as to what you will do in all areas of competition, you pretty much are in control. You can then just nod and say "thank you" and do your thing because you have a plan and are very prepared.

Step up your game! Invest in your sport (pageants) and do the work necessary to get it done, no excuses or self defeating attitude like "I will work out harder tomorrow"....NO, do the work like the pageant IS tomorrow! It may only come down to one point that keeps you from the Top 10 and you gave it up because you put it off until tomorrow.

If you want to have fun, well that is a different story. Get a coach, learn the basics, and roll the dice just don't get upset if you don't win, be honest with yourself and know that next time, if your really want to win you have to "STEP IT UP"!

Appearance Attire

2011-05-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have recently attended some local events where titleholders are present. It amazes me sometimes the attire that young ladies feel is appropriate to wear at there events. For those of you out there that often struggle with "what to wear" at an appearance, here are some of the guidelines that I have put together to help with your assessment.

Always ask the event planner what the attire will be for the evening. If they tell you formal, then a long gown is appropriate. You should always have one or two long formal gowns in your wardrobe. Make sure that your hair is groomed nicely (not messy) and is either pulled up or off the face (makes for less playing with the hair all night and looks great for pictures).
If they say cocktail attire, you, as a titleholder, could get away with a long gown or you can go with a black cocktail dress. Please keep it conservative. Just above the knee, not mid thigh, and no plunging necklines. Sexy is not the look you should be going for here. Please consider your shoes as well when coordinating a cocktail dress. No higher then 4" and no big platform in the front. If the shoes belong in a "certain bar" then they are not the proper shoe for an appearance. Remember, if you wouldn't see the Duchess of Cambridge wearing them, then you probably shouldn't either.
Business attire. Ladies, this doesn't mean casual. Fitted dress, pant suit tailored, skirt with top with optional added jacket or suit. Keep your colors and patterns to a minimum. Again, watch the shoes.
When are jeans appropriate? Um, never (unless you are on a horse or have been asked to wear them)! Khaki pants are always the best option here. You can even wear some black pants, more casual, with a straight leg. You can find pants like these at Express or similar stores. County Fairs, Rodeos, or Carnivals please do not wear jeans. A cute sundress with a small shrug, flat tennis shoes or sandals are great. You can even put some bike shorts under the sundress, just no jeans. Sometimes shorts are appropriate but keep the length mid thigh or slightly higher NO booty shorts.
Hair and Make Up. Hair groomed, off the face or up. No french braids or high pony tails (older then 14). Make up should be fresh and not overly done. Lipstick done, no chapped lips! Nails should have a clear or light polish. Overly long nails with the colored tips are not so professional, a french manicure is fine but styles are changing and the french is not really the "in" thing. No longer are the "long fake nails" the it thing, Shellac nails are the way to go, no chipping and they will keep the color longer. Stay with your neutral colors and pick one that will go with anything.

Some additional "to know" items. Make sure you use some Toupee tape (found at a wig shop) to hold your banner in place on your shoulder. Arrive at your event with your Crown (when appropriate, again ask the event planner) on your head and your banner on and secure (the banner is always appropriate). Do not arrive at your event and try to find a place to put on your titleholder attire, when you arrive you are "on" and they want you to make a statement and draw attention to the fact you are going to their event!

If you have any questions on an event and do not know "what to wear" email me at ORDirector@comcast.net.

Pageant Season = Butterflys

2011-04-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Spring isn't the only season that brings sunshine and butterflies, Pageant Season definitely does that all year long! Talk about Butterflies, right now pageant season is in full bloom with locals, state and national competitions happening all over the country! This is the time of year that all of your hard work, community service hours, and commitment to your program are judge by up to 5 individual people. People who do not know you.

Wow, think about that, everything you have worked so hard for are in the hands of 5 randomly selected people whom are advanced your bio and platform information yet you are not allowed to study and know anything about them yourself. How is that fair? Well, it is the process and will be the process when you are sent out to represent the title you seek. It is through THIS process that a judge can and will determine if you are humble, sincere, and honest enough to represent the title you hope to win. Can you handle meeting new people? Are you humble and warm when speaking? Are you knowledgeable about your platform and worldly issues? Do you have a sense of self, a self confidence that is pure and not forceful? Is your appearance "over the top" or a well groomed vision of you? All this and more are what each individual judge is looking at when considering a contestant for the title. Each judge will have a different opinion, a different like, and a different dislike of the individuals they are judging and that is how the well rounded contestant wins the pageant. It is not enough to have the best gown or suit, you must bring YOU to the table and not a factitious you that is a fabrication of what you think they would like to see or what the winner did last year! Rarely do the fabricated "Patty" win but sometimes they do and sometimes end up learning to be humble and more honest with who they are as a person; those are great moments.

It has been my experience that some will walk away thinking the crown was theirs and they were somehow judged poorly because of some other reason then the fact that they were not their authentic self. They may have had the overall winning score but there was something that rubbed the judges the wrong way that cost them a point and cost them the title. Sadly for those contestants they totally missed out on the experience focusing only on themselves and eventually burn so many bridges along the way that their reputation will get the best of them. Do you want to be one of those contestants? I hope not because pageants can offer you so much more then a crown.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before going into your pageant weekend:

Is the end result for me only the crown?

Does the crown identify me or my accomplishments?

Can I accomplish my goals without a crown? How?

What do I want them to know about me?

What kind of person am I inside?

Is winning the only option?

Some questions to really be honest about and to ponder. I hope that when you go into your perspective competitions this season that you take the time to spell the roses as you gaze upon the bling before you. Look around, are you "better" then anyone or are you among the best of the best? I hope you see the best of the best because you all are different, unique, and special and all are well deserving of the opportunity to represent the title you seek!

So don't worry, "bling" happy!

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

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Many have asked me about a good photo, does it really make a difference in who wins or does not win. I don't think it has any weight if you win or not but it can cause a judge to take notice. For example, if I was judging a pageant I already have studied their bios, platforms, and have seen their picture. Some ladies seem to have it all until they walk into the room! They sit in front of me and I am in shock at how different they look from their picture. It is a disappointment to me that a contestant would put this overdone, airbrushed image in front of me (obviously not their true looks) and it makes me question the rest of their paperwork, is that airbrushed too to make them sound as good as their photo looks? I think a very well done image of YOU can do wonders for your first impression with a judge. It should be clean, very slightly airbrushed (a good photographer can achieve this with lighting and no airbrushing see above), and showing your personality. If you are a Teen, look like a Teen, if you are a Miss, look like a Miss and not a Miss "of the month", if you are a Mrs please be your age and be proud of it! There are many photographers out there that charge a small fortune to capture your photo, the money is in all the touch ups and airbrushing they do AFTER the fact. All of my Mrs Oregon ladies have gone to our official photographer, Colleen Cahill. One thing I like best about her style is that she makes you feel comfortable, she doesn't have a style or image in mind for you she listens to you, and she captures such a pure and clean photo OF you that you see it right away in her camera. If you are going to enter a pageant, your image is the first visual they will have of you, don't sell yourself short by posting a less then adequate photo of yourself or an image only made for magazine covers. Be yourself and let the true YOU shine!

(image by Colleen Cahill Photography)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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First impressions, in pageantry, refer to your photo, blogs and any social network out there in cyber~land.

Photo: It is really important that your photo is professionally done and looks like you. Many will go to these fancy photographers (don't get me wrong it is fun) but you end up with a photo that resembles the cover of a magazine and it looks nothing like you in person. You do not want the judges to be shocked when they see you in person and you look nothing like your photo. The photo should draw you in, a fresh face, a warm smile or no smile but a welcoming look (not sexy mind you). This will be the first step to you being noticed by your judges.

Blogs: I love contestant blogs and as a judge I do look for them, when I know who the contestants are, because they are very telling of the person they are in "reality" and not the story on paper. Sometimes ladies tend to exaggerate their story on paper but when you see them in action on their blog you can see if they really work with their charity, are involved with their community and a little more about what they do in their personal life. This person will represent the whole of her community and state and it is very important that she be a woman of good character.

Social Networks: This is very telling of who a person is by the friends they keep. So, keep in mind that you really shouldn't just "friend" anyone just because you have "mutual" friends. I recently "unfriended" a young lady because of content she posted and her friends comments to that post. Really not appropriate of a lady that is to be a role model for young ladies.

Remember, your political views and opinions are important but in pageantry you have to remember that you represent a body of individuals from all ends of the political spectrum and need to respect all sides. Your political views ARE important and personal to you just be wise on when and where you get onto that soap box. Some directors will ask you to not express opinons on anyside as it can cause some problems and may make you a lightening rode for negative attention.

In closing, just be wise and look at the road ahead and not just right in front of you. Think about the consequence of your actions and how it might reflect on your future.

Finding a PLATFORM

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A "Platform" is known, by definition, as a place, means, or opportunity for public expression of opinion (web:the free dictionary by Farlex). For pageant purposes it is a cause or charity that one supports. So for instance, for me, The Oregon Food Bank is a cause and charity that my family has supported since 2002. It is something that is personal and something that I stand behind. Many, when searching for a "Platform" create something they think sounds good, like "Childhood Obesity" yet have done nothing with the platform or have never had a personal connection with the platform but, because the first lady is using it as her platform, it sounds good. They then go and research the platform, know the statistics on the platform but really have no emotional connection with this cause or charity, therefore it comes off flat in interview. Pick something that is real for you. If you love school and see the benefits, "keep kids in school" might be your platform because you live it. It can be simple as long as it is real and something that you truly have emotion about and can articulate that emotion. I tell my clients, they hear about 7% of what you say the rest of the 93% is the emotion, the "how you made them feel" that really endears them to you.

NEW FOLLOWERS

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Thank you to SHAWNA PETERSON and welcome to ONLINE PAGEANT COACHING! I hope that you will find this blog informational and please be sure to pass it on!

Pageant Interview

2011-02-18T19:50:00.000-08:00

Pageant season is definately here early this year! With all minds on looking the best, wearing that perfect gown and having the best body, I thought I would focus today on the Interview. THIS should be the FIRST place you start when you consider entering the pageant. I have had the honor of judging 3 state pageants in the last month and I must say that the Interview really set the group apart. Those that knew their bio and those that did not. This tip is for those that Do Not:

1. Before you fill out your bio, write your talking points. What I mean by that is the top 10 things you want the judges to know about you. Then fill in your bio with your top 10. Do the best you can.

2. Write 3 teasers (things not on your bio) that you want the judges to know about you that you can pull out of your hat when they ask "Is there anything not on your bio you would like me to know about you?"

3. Have one word or one phrase to remind you of your top 10 talking points. You know when a friend tells a joke and they say a word or phrase that reminds you of another joke? Sort of like that...something that will remind you of the story or statement you want to say about your platform, family, friends, or hobbies.

All politicians, believe me, go into an speaking engagement with their talking points and very rarely deviate from that course. For more information on coaching for Interview, email me at ORDirector@comcast.net for phone or live coaching rates.